Prime Minister's Office
English Rendering of PM's Speech at the NCC Rally on 28th January 2018
It’s almost a month with several new friends, everybody came here with his or her distinct identity, with his or her own distinct background but within a month such an atmosphere was createdwhich produced an unbreakable bond amongst all of you. A bond of kinship and when you will be meeting from the cadets from other states then you would be surprised to know about their uniqueness and their diversity. You will leave this place with so much curiosity that you will feel like that as a citizen of India the more you know the country, the more you know about every corner of the country, the more you know India’s diversity the more you feel one with the country. The seed of this value systemis naturally sown within us in every NCC camp. It seems to us that we are participating in the parade, it seems like that we have come here wearing the uniform, it seems like that we are preparing for Raj Path but we don’t even realise when we start cherishing this massive India within us; how do we become so full of the country. We don’t even know that how do we develop a strong feeling to do something for India? Such an eco system, such an environment that makes us think about the country, think about its future and our role, our duties in this thing every single moment. We are going to go back after getting inspiration for all these things. NCC cadets participating in the parade at Raj Path and those who did not get the opportunity to participate in the parade or being seen on the Raj Path, those who work in the background, those who labored extremely hard for a month, for every such person, the guests from 10 countries, the entire country and Indian Diaspora spread across the world takes pride in every step taken by you people. They were proud of the every step taken by you and they felt that our country was marching ahead when you people were taking your steps. When you showed your extreme courage then every countrymen felt that the courage of the country was going to the top. This environment, this atmosphere should not be confined to this place only. The real test begins after that.
NCC is known for its discipline and unity. NCC is not a mechanism. NCC is a mission. NCC is not just anuniform or uniformity but it is unity in true sense of the word.And therefore with this feeling…eventually why this parade, this camp, this discipline, this hard work is aimed at achieving what? Why all these things? Why the money of the poorest of the poor person of the country is being spent on all these things? This is being invested so that this kind of nucleus, this kind of individuals continue to be created within the country with a mission mode thatcontinue to inspire others, so that the determination of the country continues to increase and that is why in a way it’s an effort to develop the lives and develop the country through those developed lives. If we leave all these things here and these memories are going to be used just for sharing them with friends for the rest of life then something is missing. We should take pride in the fact that after the independence of the country the NCC act was enacted before the enactment of rules and regulation for the armed forces. Nation building was linked with the young generation of the country and given priority over security of the nation.
Today, NCC has completed 70 years. The journey of seven decades, and millions and millions of NCC cadets like me moved on the path of life by receiving the values of patriotism.
Friends, we get a sense of mission from NCC. On the completion of 70 years of NCC the time demands that we should take a look at these things like: where we came from, where we have come and where we want to take the country. What should be the form of this NCC and what are the new things that should be added in the NCC? What should be its expanse? I would call upon the people related to these subjects that they should prepare an outline for a mission when NCC completes 75 years of its existence and we should made that mission for taking NCC to such heights that there should be something new in every corner of the country, it should bring about some changes, it should give rise to the feeling of pride due to the functioning of NCC and due to the working of NCC cadets. Today, when we are completing 70 years then we should prepare a mission for 75 years with this resolve.
I don’t believe that any youth of my country is willing to tolerate corruption. The society has a feeling of hatred against corruption. But why should we restrict ourselves to just have the feeling of hatred against corruption, why should we just express our anguish and anger against corruption? Will this thing be enough? Then we will have to continue to wage this battle for a prolonged period, it is not going to stop. This fight against corruption, this fight against black money is aimed at making the future of the youth of my country. And if the future of the youth of my country is secured then it is going to make the future of our country.
But, I, Prime Minister of this country want to ask something from the Indian youth, I want to ask something from NCC cadets. I know that you will never disappoint me. The youth of my country will not disappoint me. I am neither going to ask for votes nor am I going to ask your help so that we can progress on political front. If I want your help, the help of youth of my country, then I want your help for setting this country free from this corruption which is like a termite. You might feel that what you could do. At best, you might decide that: we will not bribe anyone or at best we will not accept any bribe. You will do that in any case but this will not be sufficient. There is one thing, one task and if you make a pledge, if you make a rule that every year you would associate at least 100 new families with this thing, then what is that thing. If accountability is there, if transparency is there, then there is an automatic change in the situation. Can you make a pledge that wherever we go for purchasing things, wherever there is an exchange of money, then we will not do it in cash, all of us have become mobile users. Whether we will download the BHIM App and make every purchase through BHIM App? And whether you will insist on using the BHIM App at the shop from where you purchase things, whichever store or mall you may be visiting, whether you will insist on using it or not? You must do it. Please develop a habit of this thing. You will see this kind of transparency will be there, fixing accountability will become so easy and we will be able to take strong steps in the direction of making a corruption free India. And it can’t be done without the help of my youth. If my NCC cadets take up this task on a mission mode then no one will have courage to drag the country towards corruption. Even if an extremely corrupt person succeeds in occupying a high office even then he will be forced to follow the path of honesty.
Sometimes there was a lot of despair in the country that lofty things are discussed against the corruption but nothing could be done against powerful people. Today, you people have been passing through such a period, you are passing through such a time that at least three chief ministers are behind bars due to corruption. Who can say that there is no God, who can say that there is no justice in the house of God? Now there is no one to protect them. And that is why today I would like say this thing before the NCC cadets, and through them to the NCC cadets across the country and be it the youth of NSS or be it the youth of Nehru Youth Centre and be it the students of schools and colleges or be it the youth of the country who live and die for the country, I seek your help. Please come forward and join me in this fight as a soldier. Please come forward, by working together if we will rid the country of this termite then we will be able to win the fight for providing the rights of the poor people of the country.
If we eradicate these evils then it benefits the most to the poor people of the country. When the money is spent in the proper manner then a poor household gets the affordable medicine. When the money is spent in the proper manner then it creates the facilities for providing good schools, good teachers to the children of a poor person. When the money is spent in the proper way then the roads are being laid up to villages, when the money is properly utilized then an opportunity for doing something for the oppressed, exploited and excluded people of the country is created.
And dear youth of my country that is why the discussion about Aadhaar that you people get to hear these days, those people who are aware about the world of technology, who are aware about the changing times they know that this data is going to be a very powerful thing in the world in the coming days. That day is not far away when the country which will have data will be considered powerful. In the digital world, in the world of data, Aadhaar has given a big reason to India to take pride in this field.
And now due to Aadhaar those benefits which should accrue to poor people, to common man but were earlier siphoned off into wrong hands; that was also a method of corruption. The girl that never born used to grow up into an adult, marry and become widow in the records of a government office and widow pension was paid to her from the government exchequer. This kind of business was going on but now the legitimate claimants could be identified due to Aadhaar and they have started getting their rights due to direct transfer of benefits. And youth of my country, this has been implemented in some schemes, at present it’s not 100%, it’s just a start but because of it around Rs.60,000 crore has been saved which was siphoned off into wrong hands. All this is possible. And therefore my youth should move forward in the direction of a cashless society with the mantra of less cash and by optimally using the BHIM App for all the selling and purchasing and even if we need to pay the fee then we will pay it through BHIM App. Then you will see how the changes will come about in the country.
My young friends, you people have got a good experience in the life. You people have got the opportunity to experience the country by living with the people from all corners of the country in a very short span of time. You people got that feeling; you got a new touch of India. With this new spirit, with this new resolve, with this new aspiration, all of us should collectively move forward with a solemn pledge to make a New India. We should take the country forward, we should make a New India with the strength to fulfill the dreams of our freedom fightersby 2022 when India will celebrate 75 years of its independence.
My best wishes to all of you.
Thank you.